AUDIO SIGNAL TRANSMISSION/RECEPTION DEVICE

• US 20090041283A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazumasa, Kobayashi, Chikara, Ishibashi, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/361
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/403 loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40

Abstract

In an audio signal transmission/reception device that receives and emits sounds so as to perform transmission and reception of audio signals via communications, user operability can be improved and the size of a main unit can be reduced. It is equipped with a speaker array for arranging a plurality of speaker units, which are arranged on the lower surface of the main unit, and a microphone array for arranging a plurality of microphones, which are arranged on the side surface of the main unit in its longitudinal direction. Legs having hollow structures are attached to the main unit so as to support the main unit at a prescribed height above the mount surface (e.g., the surface of a desk) and to secure good sound emission characteristics of the speaker array.

Claims

1. An audio signal transmission/reception device comprising:

a main unit having a prescribed shape;

a speaker array arranging a plurality of speaker units, which are arranged on a lower surface of the main unit; and

a leg for supporting the speaker array to be positioned at a prescribed height above a mount surface for the main unit.

2. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to claim 1, wherein an operation control is arranged on an upper surface of the main unit.

3. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to claim 1 further comprising a microphone array arranging a plurality of microphones on a side surface of the main unit.

4. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to claim 2 further comprising a microphone array arranging a plurality of microphones on a side surface of the main unit.

5. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main unit has an elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape, the microphone array is arranged on the side surface of the main unit in its longitudinal direction, and at least one connector for establishing connection with an external device is arranged on the side surface of the main unit in its width direction.

6. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the leg has a hollow structure.

7. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising a display for displaying sound emission characteristics of the speaker array.

8. An audio signal transmission/reception device according to claim 3 or 4 further comprising a display for displaying the sound reception characteristics of the microphone array.